The Road Spring 2020_online

Val C1975 Val C 1980
While with the Carlton “Blues” he played some of the best football
of his career, earning state selection once more, and playing in a
back pocket in both the 1981 and 1982 VFL Grand Finals. In the
1982 Grand Final defeat of Richmond, he was again one of the best
players on the field.
Val was noted for his long left-foot kicks. During his time at Carlton,
he became a cult hero when a group of fans would shout “woof!”
every time he kicked the ball. He was the first Carlton player whose
kicks were acknowledged in this way.
Val retired from Carlton in 1985, returned to Ballarat and played a
season with the Golden Point Football Club. “After injuring both of
my Achilles tendons, I took it as a sign to quit it all together,” mused
Val. “I never had any aspirations to coach or get involved in the
administration side of things either,” he continued.
He always loved the outdoors, and after working with his father for
many years, he took over his concreting business upon his retirement.
Val loves to travel and has backpacked across a lot of the world. As
he said, “one day I might settle down and build a house on some
land I have in Croatia.”
Val 2020
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